The Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge gives students the opportunity, tools, and inspiration to become agents of change for the environment. Beginning in fall 2008 through March 15, 2009, middle school student teams from across the country will be challenged to create sustainable, reproducible environmental improvements in their local communities.

Projects are grouped into three categories based on environment rural, urban, and suburban. The competition is a six-step process following scientific methodology:

Identification: Students conduct research to learn about the issues that affect their community and select one issue that they truly want to impact;

Research: Students access a variety of resources to learn all they can about their issue and develop a problem statement that explains why and how it is a problem in their community;

Plan: Students propose a feasible, measurable solution to positively impact their issue and an action plan to help them carry it out;

Act: Students work together to implement their action plan;

Analyze: Students explain what they've found out so far; and

Share: Students make recommendations for how their plan can be replicated or expanded in similar communities across the nation.

The challenge is open to all U.S. middle school students between grades six through eight and teams are made up of two to three members and a teacher or adult advisor. For further information and registration for the challenge, please go to http://www.wecanchange.com/; or contact Paula Klonowski, science coordinator, Office of Middle and High School Instruction, by e-mail at Paula.Klonowski@doe.virginia.gov or by telephone at (804) 371-0249.